Fujifilm X-T2 versus Fujifilm X-Pro1

The Fujifilm X-T2 and the Fujifilm X-Pro1 are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively,
in July 2016 and January 2012. Both the X-T2 and the X-Pro1 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The X-T2 has a resolution of 24 megapixel, whereas the X-Pro1 provides 16 MP. Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their size, their sensors, their features, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Fujifilm X-T2 vs Fujifilm X-Pro1

The physical size and weight of the Fujifilm X-T2 and the Fujifilm X-Pro1 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter. You can also use the toggle button to switch to a percentage comparison if you prefer that the measures are being expressed in relative terms (in this case, the camera on the left – the X-T2 – represents 100 percent across all the size and weight measures).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Fujifilm X-Pro1 is notably smaller (6 percent) than the Fujifilm X-T2. Moreover, the X-Pro1 is markedly lighter (11 percent) than the X-T2. It is worth mentioning in this context that the X-T2 is splash and dust resistant,
while the X-Pro1 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses
that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses.
You can find an overview of suitable optics in the Fujinon X Lens Catalog. Mirrorless cameras, such as the two under consideration, have the additional advantage of having a short flange to focal plane distance, which makes it possible to mount many lenses from other systems onto the camera via adapters.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, just click on the right or left
arrow next to the camera that you would like to inspect. Alternatively, you can also use the CAM-parator to
select your camera combination among a larger number of options.

Any camera purchase will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The X-T2 was somewhat cheaper (by 6 percent) than the X-Pro1 at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison: Fujifilm X-T2 vs Fujifilm X-Pro1

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor and have a format factor
(sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.5. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras
that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the X-T2 offers a higher
resolution of 24 megapixel, compared with 16 MP of the X-Pro1.
This megapixel advantage translates into a 23 percent gain in linear resolution.
On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the X-T2 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel
(with a pixel pitch of 3.92μm versus 4.80μm for the X-Pro1). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the X-T2 is much more recent (by 4 years and 5 months) than the X-Pro1, and its sensor
will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the X-T2 provides a higher video resolution than the X-Pro1. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the X-Pro1 is limited to 1080/24p.

Feature comparison: Fujifilm X-T2 vs Fujifilm X-Pro1

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder.
However, the one in the X-T2 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the X-Pro1 (2360k vs 1440k dots). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Fujifilm X-T2 and Fujifilm X-Pro1 along with similar information for a selection of comparators. If you need more detail on the specs, you can find comprehensive listings, for example, in the dpreview camera hub.

The X-T2 is a current model that online retailers, such as amazon, will have in stock.
In contrast, the X-Pro1 has been discontinued (but it can be found pre-owned on eBay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the X-Pro1 was succeeded by the Fujifilm X-Pro2.

Review summary: Fujifilm X-T2 vs Fujifilm X-Pro1

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Fujifilm X-T2 or the Fujifilm X-Pro1 – has the upper hand? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Fujifilm X-Pro1:

Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 57g or 11 percent) and is thus easier to take along.

More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in January 2012).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the X-T2 is the clear winner of the match-up (9 : 3 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera.

X-T2 09:03 X-Pro1

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the X-T2 or the X-Pro1 handle or perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable. This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). The full reviews are available by clicking on the site logo in the table header.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored. If you cannot find the camera you are interested in, please send me an email, and I will try to add information on that model to the database.